Cult sampler designed by Roger Linn, famous producer of the drum machine Linn drum. After decades and new technologies, the MP60 is still considered of one of the best designed and sounding desktop beatmaker ver made.

NOTE: this review is mainly based on lasted OS 3.10, previous versions may have different characteristics.

TECH the main core based is an Intel 8-bits 80186 which manages 16 channels polyphony; DAC is a Burr Brown PCM54HP and ADC is a PCM77P.

STRUCTURE
Basically the machine records a sample and assign it to a pad with no special synthesis
elements e.g filter, LFO. Internal sampling engine is based on a 12 bits which recording frequency range is fixed to 40 kHz. Sound edit system includes some sample edit functions:

- assign 2 or 3 samples to a single pad with possible velocity switch threshold.

PERFORMANCE main functions:

- FULL LEVEL: plays all pads at full gain velocity
- NOTE VARIATION slider: a real-time controller changes the decay, tuning, attack of a sample
- 16 LEVELS: assign a sound to all pads with 16 variation of a single parameter (volume / tuning for chromatic play / decay / attack)
- NOTE REPEAT synched rolls or fills for recording
-
TRIGGER set allows to play a single set from external source
- DRUM MIX special screen with overview mix, analog ouputs assigned as well as management of send/return to hook external FX unit.

SEQUENCER each track can be assigned to internal sounds or external Midi channel (it also handles exclusive systems). The MPC60 sequencer is famous to be quite easy to use with great swing mode from 50 to 75% and a precise quantization (1/8, 1/8T, 1/16, 1/16T,1/32 , 1/32T). MPC Patterns can be recorded either in real-time or step-by-step with some edit functions including: change signature, loopmode, solo mode, overdub, punch IN, shift offset, tempo change, erase and copy.

A special TOOL (FREE) for 3.1 allows to convert MPC sequences to standard SMF Midi files.

MIDI each pad can be assigned to a different MIDI note for external triggering and some basic Control changes... nothing too fancy.

SYNCinternal tempo range from 30 to 300 BPM can slave-synched to

-
external Midi clock
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SMPTE
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external trigger
-
tape FSK24

OS Originally early OS cannot handle samples longer than 5 seconds, but this limit has been removed with latest OS 3.10, as well as mono sampling adding a special "pseudo stereo mode" albeit the MPC hardware is of course still monophonic. ALTERNATIVE OS the VIMANA 3.15 is a special OS developped by third-part with different functions. It can be changed swapping 4 EPROMS. We do not tested it, so we have NO INFORMATION about this one.